Cavendish Update 3/22/24: Storm/Gardens/News/Events

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WINTER STORM WARNING: 8 PM tonight-2 am Sunday. Heavy wet snow and mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations of 9 to 16 inches and ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch. Weight of the snow on tree limbs may cause numerous power outages.

Looking for Eclipse Glasses: Both Cavendish and Ludlow Libraries have free pairs.

3/22/24

1.Cavendish Public Hearing Notice

2. Gardening to Absorb the Storm.

3. Cavendish Related News

4. Events

1.CAVENDISH PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE: The Town of Cavendish invites the public to a hearing to discuss the draft Enhanced Energy Chapter to be included in the Cavendish Town Plan. A copy of the draft Energy Chapter can be found on the Town’s website.

Time/Date:     6:00 PM April 15th, 2024

Location:  Cavendish Town Hall, 37 High Street Cavendish VT

Zoom Meeting Meeting ID: 813 1239 1910 Passcode: Cavendish

2. GARDENING TO ABSORB THE STORM: Seed catalogues in the mail and planting supplies at the store are welcoming signs of spring. Given the rains of 2023 and flooding, now is a good time to think about creating gardens that can help protect your property as well as local rivers, streams and lakes.

Rain gardens are cost-effective stormwater management tool that can be incorporated in a variety of landscapes. A rain garden is a bowl shaped garden designed to capture and absorb rainfall and snowmelt. When stormwater is captured, it helps to reduce the volume of runoff, thereby reduce flooding that can erode stream banks. It also helps to reduce excess nutrients, sediment, and pollutants from entering our water ways.

To learn how to create a rain garden, check out the Vermont Rain Garden Manual on-line or pick up a copy at the Cavendish or Ludlow Libraries. This manual includes “The Vermont Rain Garden Plant List”  for ferns, grasses, perennials, shrubs, and trees which are suitable for Vermont. This is a handy list to take when going plant shopping this spring as it provides information on what type of sun exposure a plant needs, salt tolerance, seasonal interest, what pollinators it attracts and lots more useful information

While rain gardens are not recommended in a naturally wet area of a lawn, there are other trees and shrubs to plant that will absorb the water in such locations. If you have a low-lying spot that collects rain, an easy solution is to use this space to grow plants that thrive in wet areas. The right plants will absorb the moisture and prevent runoff. Use the plant list in the manual to determine what might work best for your property.

If you are wanting to know more about planting to maintain riverbanks in and around the Black River Watershed, contact Black River Action Team (BRAT) blackrivercleanup@gmail.com or +1 802-738-0456

If you have gardening questions, take advantage of the free University of Vermont (UVM) Extension Master Gardener Hotline. Volunteers are available to take phone calls on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon at (802) 656-5421. Or you can submit your question online at www.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardener/helpline.

3. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Mabel Ward: Long time Cavendish resident Mabel Ward died on Monday, March 18 at the age of 89. Many knew Mabel when she worked at VT. National Bank. A funeral service will take place on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 10:00AM at the St. James Methodist Church in Cavendish, VT. Burial will follow in the Cavendish Village Cemetery. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be sent in Mabel’s name to the Davis Memorial Chapel, 99 Summer Street, Springfield, VT 05156 to assist with funeral expenses.

• Ludlow Area Community Garden 2024 update: There are still some plots available in the Ludlow Area Community Garden for the 2024 season, which will open mid to late April. The community garden is open to residents of Ludlow and neighboring towns. The fee per plot/per year includes the use of all garden tools, hoses, carts, water, compost, some seeds, and other materials. To sign up and reserve a plot, please send an email with your full name, address, and phone number to Colleen Dooley, colluvs2ski64@gmail.com. Scholarship plots are available upon request. Plots are available on a first come, first serve basis.

• Easter Egg Decorating:  Sunday March 24 @ 11:30 am. Have fun decorating egg at this all age community event! Eggs, dye, raw veg, chips and dips provided. The event will be held at the Cavendish Baptist Church and Cavendish Community Shelter. 2258 Main Street.

4. EVENTS

MARCH 22 (FRIDAY): Ham Bingo Fundraiser at CTES to benefit Bob Williams, 6 pm

MARCH 24 (SUNDAY): Easter Egg Decorating, 11:30 am at the Cavendish Community Shelter/Baptist Church. Supplies provided. Free and open to the public. Suitable for all ages.

MARCH 29 (FRIDAY): Town office close for Good Friday

MARCH 31 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER

APRIL 1 (MONDAY): All dogs residing with the Town of Cavendish must be licensed each year by April 1st. All dogs need a valid Rabies Certificate in order to be licensed. The cost to license spayed/neutered dogs is $9.00, the cost to license females/males is $13.00.

APRIL 8 (MONDAY): Solar Eclipse

APRIL 8 (MONDAY)-APRIL 12 (FRIDAY): Spring Break No School

APRIL 16 (TUESDAY): 6 pm Return of the Marten talk by Brehan Furfey, 6 pm at the Cavendish Fletcher Library. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

MAY 4 (SATURDAY): GREEN UP DAY

MAY 15 (WEDNESDAY): Cavendish Quarterly taxes due

MAY 26 (SUNDAY): 7:30 am. Annual CCCA Bird Walk with Marianne and Michael Walsh Meeting location to be announced. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

MAY 27 (MONDAY): Memorial Day Town Office Closed

JUNE 11 (TUESDAY): CTES 6TH grade graduation

JUNE 12 (WEDNESDAY): Last day of school

JUNE 14 (FRIDAY): GMUHS graduation

JULY 3 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Gypsy Reel (Irish band). FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

JULY 4 (THURSDAY): 4TH OF JULY Town office closed

JULY 10 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Soul Rockers FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

JULY 17 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Yankee Chank (Cajun/Zydeco Dance Band) FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

JULY 24 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-East Coast Ensemble FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

JULY 31 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Rick Redington & Tuff Luv FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

AUGUST 7 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Bear Mountain Boys FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.co

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Cavendish Update 3/14/24: SB Mtg/Concerts/News/Events

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3/15/24

1. Cavendish Select Board Meeting 3/14/24

2. Cavendish Summer Concert Series

3. Cavendish Related News

4. Events

1. CAVENDISH SELECT BOARD MEETING 3/14/24: Unapproved minutes of last night’s Select Board (SB) Meeting will be at the Town’s website  next week. Okemo Valley TV video coverage will be available at their website. 

Approved

• Use of the town greens for the 14th Annual Town Wide Tag sale on Saturday, July 27. Use of the Proctorsville Green for the Summer Concert Wednesday series running from July 3 to Aug. 7 (see item 2 for list of performers)

• Use of the town office for the newly formed GOP’s monthly meeting with back up space available at the fire departments.

• Moving the April monthly SB meeting to April 15 (Monday) due to the Eclipse and various board members being out of town.

• Holding a Public Hearing on the Town Plan Enhanced Energy Chapter prior to the April SB meeting

• Establishing a Cavendish Cannabis Control Board, which will be the Cavendish SB.

• Issuing a Town Parcel Map Update, cost $28,400, using ARPA Funds. The map was last updated in 2009.

• Moving the Town Informational Meeting (Town Meeting Day) to the Saturday before voting.

• Implementing a distribution of E-911 addresses, using the same method that occurred eight or more years ago. Those interested in addresses would purchase them from the town, which could then be installed by the fire departments. Note-More information will be provided when the program is ready to launch.

Discussed

• Short Term Rental Planning Commission Findings: The Planning Commission does not recommend doing anything at this time.  Issues in other towns don’t necessarily reflect what’s happening in Cavendish.  This is a very complex issue and some of the measures tried by other towns do not appear to be working

• Greven Field: In addition to July, the field has flooded twice since then. Consequently, baseball will take place in Ludlow (Dorsey Park and former high school fields) and possibly the use of Fletcher Fields for T Ball. This will be on the April SB meeting agenda.

• Budget Committee: No one is currently serving on the town’s Budget Committee. Town manager, Rick Chambers, said Budget Committees are very helpful and would like to see this reinstated. The Committee would start meeting in September to prepare for the first of the year SB budget planning. If interested in serving on this committee, contact the town office 802-226-7291

• Roads: Roads are starting to dry out and the Highway Dept is hard at work in repairing them. At the April meeting, Chambers will have more information on the paving schedule.

• ARPA Funds: To be discussed at the April meeting

2. CAVENDISH SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: All concerts are free and open to the public. They begin at 6 pm on the Proctorsville Green. This event is organized by the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA). The lineup will be as follows
7/3 Gypsy Reel (Irish band)

7/10 Soul Rockers

7/17 Yankee Chank (Cajun/Zydeco Dance Band)

7/24 East Coast ensemble

7/31 Rick Redington & Tuff Luv (Roots Rock)

8/7 Bear Mountain Boys (Acoustic trio)

3. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Cavendish Community Funds Spring Applications: The Cavendish Community Fund is accepting grant applications for spring 2024 awards. The fund has given grants twice each year for the past 17 years. The fund considers applications filed anytime, but will only award spring 2024 grants to those who file by Wednesday, May 1. The next round of grants will be paid in the fall. Grants will be awarded for cultural, educational or artistic programs, projects or events that directly benefit the Cavendish community in some way. There are three ways to apply: submit an application directly via the website, by e-mail or by snail mail to the Cavendish Community Fund, P.O. Box 154, Proctorsville, VT 05153. Application instructions can be found here. Past grants have been distributed to schools, churches, the library, a fire department and a variety of non-profits in Cavendish. If you have a project to benefit Cavendish and need financing, you can contact the fund to discuss your idea. For further information on applying, eligibility or any other aspect of the grant program, or for help completing an application, please call Douglas McBride at 802-226-7142 or Peter LaBelle at 802-226-7250.

• Ham Bingo Fundraiser: CTES PTG is hosting a “Ham Bingo” fundraiser for bus driver Bob Williams as he continues to recover from brain surgery on Friday March 22 from 6-8 pm at CTES. Cards are $1 with 10 rounds. 50/50 raffle. Pizza  (American Pie) and other snacks will be for sale.

• 2025 Cavendish Calendar: Photos for CCCA’s Cavendish Community Calendar are now being accepted. This year’s theme is Cavendish Resilient & Strong. Check the CCCA website for instructions.

• Proctorsville welcomes The Grafton Cheese Company VT Journal

• Brendan McNamara joins MOOver board: Cavendish town resident, and former town manager, Brendan McNamara has been appointed to the Southeast Vermont Transit board. VT Journal

• MoJo’s Reopens: MoJo’s in Ludlow reopens tonight in their new location, nine months since the July floods.

• After almost closing for good, Ludlow Farmers Market hopes to make a strong comeback Chester Telegraph

• Dick McCormack to retire after 3-decade Senate career: After more than three decades representing Windsor County in the Vermont Senate, Dick McCormack plans to retire next January at the conclusion of his term. VT Digger

• Why Engineers Can’t Control Rivers: This video helps to explain why you don’t dig in rivers.

• Spots still open for weatherization training at SEVCA: Southeastern Vermont Community Action Inc. (SEVCA) is teaming up with Vermont Adult Learning to offer a free, two-week long, hands-on training to introduce weatherization as a career. The training will be on site at the SEVCA main office in Westminster, Vt., from March 18-27. Participants in Energy Works trainings will receive a $500 stipend upon completion of the weatherization training. Individuals who enter the weatherization field following the training will receive an additional $500 after 60 days of employment. For more information about the program, contact Haley Stephen at 802-560-4036 or hstephen@vtadultlearnig.org, or visit www.energyworksvermont.org.

4. EVENTS

MARCH 16 (SATURDAY): Blue Jay Way Band, featuring Cavendish’s Mark Huntley, at the Ludlow Town Hall Auditorium from 6-9 pm.

MARCH 17 (SUNDAY): Happy St. Patrick’s Day

MARCH 19 (TUESDAY): Solar eclipse talk by Claudio Veliz at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. in Proctorsville starting at 6 pm. Safe, solar-filtered glasses will be handed out to attendees, complete with instructions on their use during the eclipse. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

MARCH 22 (FRIDAY): Ham Bingo Fundraiser at CTES to benefit Bob Williams, 6 pm

MARCH 29 (FRIDAY): Town office close for Good Friday

MARCH 31 (SUNDAY): HAPPY EASTER

APRIL 1 (MONDAY): All dogs residing with the Town of Cavendish must be licensed each year by April 1st. All dogs need a valid Rabies Certificate in order to be licensed. The cost to license spayed/neutered dogs is $9.00, the cost to license females/males is $13.00.

APRIL 8 (MONDAY): Solar Eclipse

APRIL 8 (MONDAY)-APRIL 12 (FRIDAY): Spring Break No School

APRIL 16 (TUESDAY): 6 pm Return of the Marten talk by Brehan Furfey, 6 pm at the Cavendish Fletcher Library. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

MAY 4 (SATURDAY): GREEN UP DAY

MAY 15 (WEDNESDAY): Cavendish Quarterly taxes due

MAY 26 (SUNDAY): 7:30 am. Annual CCCA Bird Walk with Marianne and Michael Walsh Meeting location to be announced. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

MAY 27 (MONDAY): Memorial Day Town Office Closed

JUNE 11 (TUESDAY): CTES 6TH grade graduation

JUNE 12 (WEDNESDAY): Last day of school

JUNE 14 (FRIDAY): GMUHS graduation

JULY 3 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Gypsy Reel (Irish band). FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

JULY 4 (THURSDAY): 4TH OF JULY Town office closed

JULY 10 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Soul Rockers FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

JULY 17 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Yankee Chank (Cajun/Zydeco Dance Band) FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

JULY 24 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-East Coast Ensemble FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

JULY 31 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Rick Redington & Tuff Luv FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

AUGUST 7 (WEDNESDAY): 6 PM Proctorsville Green Summer Concert Series-Bear Mountain Boys FMI cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com

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Cavendish Update 3/8/24: Election results/Vacancies/Don't Pitch in the Ditch

READ THE CAVENDISH VT FACEBOOK PAGE FOR THE LATEST NEWS

SPRING FORWARD ON SUNDAY-Day light savings time returns. Set clocks ahead one hour and use this as an opportunity to check smoke and radon detectors.

Grafton Village Cheese opens at the old Black River Produce site on 103 tomorrow, Saturday March 9.

3/8/24

1.Town Meeting Results

2. Town Positions Open

3.Don’t Pitch in the Ditch

4.Cavendish Related News

5. Events

1.TOWN MEETING RESULTS: Of 1,082 registered Cavendish voters, 355 voted in the March 5 election, with 31 returning absentee ballots.

There was only one contested race, the one year position for Cavendish Selectboard, which will be filled by Shannon Devereux 251 votes and David Norton 211 votes. Stu Lindberg received 132 votes. Theresa McNamara received 18 write in votes for Town Grand Juror and Chris Saylor received 15 write in votes for Library Trustee.

For the Town Articles, results were as follows:

Article 2 (Tax collection ) 304 yes; 41 no; 17 blank

Article 3 (Town Budget) 281 yes; 69 no; 12 blank

Article 4 (Cannabis retailers) 182 yes; 168 no; 12 blank

Article 5 (Adoption of Australian budget for town budget) 234 Yes; 168 No; 16 blank

Article 6 (Adoption of Australian ballot for all future public questions) 225 yes; 114 no; 23 blank

Article 7 (Tax exemption of Black River Health Center) 235 Yes; 114 No; 9 blank

Article 8 (Tax exemption of Fletcher Farm Foundation) 245 Yes; 98 No; 19 blank

Article 9 (Tax exemption of Cavendish Fire Dept) 298 Yes; 46 No; 18 blank

Article 10 (Tax exemption of Proctorsville Fire Dept) 316 Yes; 28 No; 18 blank

Presidential Primary: Vermont voted for Joe Biden as the Democratic nominee and is the first state to nominate Nikki Haley for the Republican nominee. However, Haley has suspended her campaign.

GMUSD Budget: Note that all votes are counted and presented in the aggregate so it’s not known how Cavendish voted. The budget was defeated by a vote of 699 no to 620 Yes. Please note that the GMUSD budget will have little to no effect on the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA), which for Cavendish is $212.80 per $100,000 of assessed property.

In Vermont, a little over 30% of the school budgets failed including Ludlow Mt Holly Supervisory Union; Springfield and Woodstock. A lot of concern is being raised about the high increase of schools based on the CLA (common level of appraisal).

Yesterday Gov. Scott addressed the education issue by revealing that he had voted no on his town’s school budget and suggested that VT’s manner of funding education “might have reached its life expectancy.” With the average property tax increasing by 19% for education, and nearly 70% of taxes going to educating 17.7% of the population, VT has the highest education taxes in the country. Unfortunately the state’s academic performance is middle of the pack and often referred to as “lack luster.” Health care costs, construction, special education, disappearing federal money and increased salaries are all contributing significantly, according to state data. Scott has asked for reforms, such as staff-to-student ratios, adjusting the income-sensitized component of Vermont’s education property tax; and school consolidation  For more on this topic, read Stripping back local control of school budgets? Phil Scott says it is on the table VT Digger Cascade of failed school budgets causes hand-wringing in Montpelier WCAX

2.TOWN POSITIONS OPEN: The Town of Cavendish has vacancies for the following positions: Auditor, Town Agent, Trustee of Public Funds, Planning Commission members (2 positions), Animal Control Officer, Budget Committee members Anyone interested in being appointed to any of these positions should contact the Town Office at 802.226.7292

3. DON’T PITCH IN THE DITCH: As we gear up for spring yard work, please be mindful of the ditches, culverts, and storm drains on and around your property. These are in place to convey water when it rains or when snow melts.

When these structures become clogged with dirt, leaves, trash, sticks, tree limbs, and overgrowth of vegetation, it can cause or increase the severity of flooding!!

So in partnership with several organizations in the area, Black River Action Team (B.R.A.T.)  reminds everyone: "Don't Pitch In the Ditch" - this applies to everyone; if you hire out your yard work, please share with landscapers and lawn care service providers. You could prevent serious flooding!

* Never put leaves, branches, dirt, or any other organic matter into ditches or close to culverts. Just because it might be biodegradable, it will still clog the waterway and lead to flooding. Instead, compost the leaves and small sticks or bag & bring them to your local transfer station.

* Rake "clean" dirt/mud into grassy areas and work in to help grow the topsoil.

* Clear trash from these structures so they don't pose a flood risk.

* If you spot damage or obstruction to a culvert or drain, contact your town office to learn who is responsible.

* Work safely, don't enter water above your ankles if you can't see the bottom, and don't work during a storm.

* Only use hand tools (rake, shovel, broom) and never dig around or under a culvert or drain! You can cause more damage than you're trying to prevent.

* Call the town office or 9-1-1 if there is serious damage or potential harm to a road or other infrastructure.

Contact BRAT with questions or concerns: blackrivercleanup@gmail.com

4. CAVENDISH RELATED NEWS

• Blue Jay Way Band at Ludlow Town Hall: The Blue Jay Way Band of Rutland will bring 50 years of rock ‘n’ roll music to Ludlow on March 16, in the Heald Auditorium at Ludlow Town Hall. he band has agreed to appear in Ludlow on Saturday, March 16, at 7 p.m., in the Heald Auditorium. At that time, Mark Huntley, of Cavendish, will join the Blue Jay Way as a special guest performer. The event is sponsored by Friends of Ludlow Auditorium (FOLA). FMI: 802-228-3238.

• Green Mountain Conservation Camp registration open: If you are 12-14 years old and want to learn about Vermont’s wildlife and gain outdoor skills, consider attending one of the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Green Mountain Conservation Camps (GMCC) this summer. If you are a GMCC alum 16 or younger, consider coming back for another summer. The one-week camp programs are held at Lake Bomoseen in Castleton, and Buck Lake in Woodbury. Campers participate in hands-on learning about fish and wildlife conservation, ecology, forestry, orienteering, safe firearm and archery techniques, swimming, canoeing, fishing. and more. Natural resource professionals come to the camp to share information on their programs and take campers out for field activities. Conservation Camps open June 16, and continue until Aug. 16. Tuition for the week includes food, lodging, and equipment. Financial assistance is available. Information and registration are available at www.vtfishandwildlife.com. For more information, contact FWGMCC@vermont.gov, or call 802-522-2925.

5. EVENTS

MARCH 9 (SATURDAY): Grafton Village Cheese opening at the former Black River Produce Building on route 103

MARCH 16 (SATURDAY): Blue Jay Way Band, featuring Cavendish’s Mark Huntley, at the Ludlow Town Hall Auditorium from 6-9 pm.

MARCH 17 (SUNDAY): Happy St. Patrick’s Day

MARCH 19 (TUESDAY): Solar eclipse talk by Claudio Veliz at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main St. in Proctorsville starting at 6 pm. Safe, solar-filtered glasses will be handed out to attendees, complete with instructions on their use during the eclipse. FMI: cavendishcommunityconservation@gmail.com.

    IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE HELP SUPPORT CAVENDISH CONNECTS

Special Report 3/5/24: Education Tax/Informational Town Meeting

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Vote Today-10-7 at the Proctorsville Fire Dept. Cavendish residents who are unregistered, can do so at the Polls. You will need to bring a photocopy of an acceptable form of ID, which includes: Valid photo ID (driver's license or passport); Utility bill ; Current bank statement; or Another government document. 

3/5/24 Special report

1.Education Taxes

2. Town Meeting

1. Education Taxes: To understand how the education tax is configured, watch the GMUSD General Information Meeting that was held on Feb. 29. The Information portion begins around 21:00 minutes.

Act 127 goes into effect for the first time this fiscal year. The intent is to level the playing field by giving more weight, and financial support,  to students who are low income, live rurally or English is their  second language

While the Green Mountain Unified School District (GMUSD) budget has increased by 10% this year, the basic level of taxes will not change because of the weighted pupil cost. This is due to the high number of students in the GMUSD on IEPs (Individual Education Plan), and their need for specialized education. In short, the GMUSD benefits from Act 127 this year.

As noted in Friday’s Cavendish Update, the issue for the education tax is the Common Level of Appraisal (CLA):  According to the Education Tax Calculator CLA is a method of ensuring that each town is paying its fair share of education property tax to the state’s Education Fund even if its grand list is not at 100% of fair market value. The CLA doesn’t change property values, only the education tax rate in a town. Note that education accounts for almost 70% of property taxes.

The education tax is based on how much houses sold for in Cavendish for the last three years. Cavendish’s CLA for this year is 72.55%, which means that Cavendish homes are generally listed for 72.55% of their fair market value, on average. Please note that the figure given in Friday’s Update of 82% was from the prior year.

The CLA will increase Cavendish taxes $212.80 per $100,000 of assessed property. Note that tax rates are set in June.

2. TOWN INFORMATIONAL MEETING: Since all articles will be voted on by Australian Ballot on Tuesday, March 5, this was an informational meeting that lasted for about an hour and a half. In addition to the Select Board members and town staff, there were approximately 38 people in attendance and 17 on Zoom.

Okemo Valley TV has posted a video of last night’s meeting, which is available at their website. Below is a brief summary of the meeting and for more details, it is recommended to watch the meeting. 

• Ambulance Service (Article 3 Town Budget): Wendy Regier voiced concern that Ludlow Ambulance will only transport to Springfield Hospital, and not to Mt. Ascutney Hospital, where she had wanted to be taken last year. She noted the budget of $78,000 for ambulance service and wondered what can be done to change this practice.  Wendy is researching this topic and has asked that anyone interested in working with her should contact her directly or via the town office.

• Gravel and Roads (Article 3, Town Budget): As we’re in the midst of mud season, questions about enough gravel and when will roads be repaved are of concern to many. Town Manager, Rick Chambers, felt that sufficient gravel was available so that the town crew could be a lot more proactive and start getting the roads in better shape. With more money for paving, the town can begin to tackle more areas. How much and how far will depend on what the town roads need. He noted that this was the beginning and it would take years, and more money, to complete the paving projects.

• Cannabis (Article 4): Concerned was raised about cannabis retailers and what role the town would have if a store was set up. Chambers noted that all aspects of retail cannabis is regulated by the state. Before a license can be obtained, it must have the approval of the town. It was noted that both Ludlow and Chester had hearings on this topic before going to a vote and it would have been helpful for Cavendish to have done the same.

• Australian Ballot (Article 5 & 6): Many believed that if all voting was to be done by Australian Ballot, Town Meeting would be killed, and once gone, would be difficult to reinstate. The pros and cons centered around whether the discussion, changes made as a result and in person voting was a more effective way to vote or if it was more democratic by Australian Ballot as more people take part in the voting process. A suggestion was made to move Town Meeting Day to Saturday where many more could attend. When asked for a show of hands of how many people favored such a move, almost everyone in the room raised their hand. Note that those on Zoom, while having the ability to ask questions, are unable to vote. The tradition of Vermont Town Meeting dates back to 1762, 15 years before Vermont became a state.

• Tax Exemption: Black River Health Center (Article 7): The Black River Health Center (BRHC) was started in 1957, when Kenwood Mills agreed to donate a building to create a health center in order to attract a doctor. According to Dr. Eugene Bont, who ran the facility until 1988 when he and his wife, Phyllis Bont, a nurse practitioner, left for Albany Medical Center,  it was stipulated by Kenwood that in the event the health center cease to exist, the building should be turned over to the town. Since the Bonts left, BRHC has served many purposes but hasn’t been successful in serving the intended purpose of being a primary care facility. That function is now served by the Ludlow Health Center, which is a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Outside of a clinical social worker, there are 3 other people working there but no specifics were given about what they do. Mention was made that they served the community but very limited details were provided. George Timko, Select Board member and head of the BRHC said that COVID had created a problem for them but they hoped things would start improving.

While the amount of taxpayers would have to pay is minimal for this exemption, whether the BRHC is a health center is a question to be considered.  Could the building better serve the community as a place to develop affordable housing, which the town is in need of?

• Tax Exemption: Fletcher Farm Foundation (Article 8): Tim Calabrese provided a list of ways the Foundation, started in 1933, supports the town: Scholarships; funds for the Cavendish Fletcher Library; reduced rent for Stepping Stones Preschool, TRSU offices and the Arts & Crafts School: reduced tuition to attend the Arts & Crafts School; Community Garden; Dog Park; Meeting space; and location of the bi annual Black River Good Neighbors Services Rummage Sale. This summer they will begin construction of 5 miles of mountain biking and hiking trails.

The tax exemption for both BRHC and Fletcher Farm is $16,061 (page 25 of the Town Report), with approximately $12,000 assigned to Fletcher Farm.

• Tax Exemption: Fire Departments (Articles 8 & 9) There was a brief discussion that fire departments are already tax exempt.